COLOGNE, The ARCHBISHOPRIC or DIOCESE of, one of the states that compose the electoral circle of the Rhine, in Germany. It is bounded on the north by the duchy of Cleves and Gueldres, on the west by that of Juliers, on the south by the archbishopric of Cleves, and on the east by the duchy of Berg, from which it is almost wholly separated by the Rhine. This country is very fruitful in corn and wine, which the inhabitants dispose of by embarking it on the Rhine, it extending above seventy miles along that river. It is divided into the Higher and Lower Diocese: the Higher Diocese contains that part which lies above Cologne, wherein is Bonn, the capital town of this electorate, and where the elector resides; besides which there are Leichnich, Andernach, Bruyl, Zulich, and Kerpen. The Lower Diocese is on the other side of Cologne, and contains the towns of Zonx, Neufs, Heizarwart, Kempen, Rhynberg, and Alpen. The city of Cologne and county of Meurs, though within the diocese of Cologne, do not belong to it; for Cologne is a free city, and Meurs belongs to the
house of Nassau Orange; but by way of recompense, the elector has considerable dominions in Westphalia, which they call the Domain. It contains the duchy of Westphalia, and the county of Rechlinschusen. This prelate is one of the electors of the empire, and holds alternately with that of Treves the second or third rank in the electoral college. He is arch-chancellor of the empire in Italy, which dignity was very important when the emperors were masters of Italy, but now it is next to nothing. When the emperors were crowned at Aix-la-chapelle, the archbishop of Cologne performed the ceremony, which caused him to pretend to the same right elsewhere; but he was opposed by the archbishop of Mentz. This occasioned an order, that they should each of them have that honour in his own diocese, but if it was done elsewhere, they should perform it alternately. The archbishop of Cologne is elected by the chapter in that city, which is the most illustrious in all Germany. They are all princes or counts, except eight doctors, who have no occasion to prove their nobility.